Recent studies show that tablets are showing a lot of promise in terms of helping kids with special needs (such as those with autism) communicate and learn. It is easy to see how this may be the case. Using tablets is very direct. Hand motions like flicking, patting, tapping, sliding and dragging are easy, and for some tablets, there are also apps made specifically for children with special needs, especially for kids with language delays. There are also apps created specifically for enhancing fine-motor skills, so that children learn how to control small objects and write faster, in ways that are fun.
On the market, there are two leading interactive tablets for children. One is the Leap Pad Tablet, and the other is the VTech InnoTab. The Leap Frog Leap Pad Interactive Learning Tablet features a camera that a child can use to take photos and record videos. This feature of the learning tablet encourages children to explore their imagination and develop their creativity. Photos taken can also be used with a featured onboard app included in the Leap Pad tablet, which is Story Studio. This app allows children to compose their own stories, as they are given the option to use their selected words for the stories. The Leap Frog Leap Pad Learning Tablet also has a huge onboard memory of 2GB, perfect for loading apps fast. Some cartridges and apps can be purchased for the Leap Frog Leap Pad Interactive Learning Tablet, like Disney Fairies, Dora’s Worldwide Rescue (Dora the Explorer), Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure, Star Wars Jedi Reading, Number Bash, Math Circus, and Flash Card App Sea Animals.
On the other hand, the VTech Interactive Tablet is the perfect alternative to LeapFrog LeapPad’s learning tablet, for parents that are on a budget. At around half the cost of the Leap Pad tablet, even though the VTech InnoTab Learning Tablet only has an onboard memory of 64MB, this memory can be upgraded using an SD card (which will need to be purchased separately). This learning tablet from VTech also does not have a camera built into it, for snapping photos or recording video, but given the difference of around $20 between the prices of the two learning tablets for kids, many are willing to make the compromise.
At the end of the day, the learning tablet to go for is really all up to you, but if the price difference does not matter much to you, you may want to consider the learning tablet with the most to offer to your child. Get the one that will allow your child to do more, the one that will allow your child to learn things at his or her own place. Choose the learning tablet that will help your child develop his or her creativity and imagination.